1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to packaging that will provide evidence of tampering to a die fold and sleeve primary package typically associated with chocolate bar products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various seals and indicia, rupturable upon opening a package, are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,096 is directed to a sealed packet for confectionery and the like with a reclosable adhesive opening strip. A supplementary strip may be applied to the opening strip, adhesively attached to the packaging and to the opening strip with a different level of adhesiveness, and also provided with pre-cut transverse lines, such that the strip breaks upon opening, which provides evidence of tampering if the opening strip is then reclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,850 discloses a process for applying a revenue seal to a cigarette pack, for example. The seal is applied directly to the packaging, applying a laser beam to a smooth coating in the area where the seal is to be applied so that the seal will adhere better to that area. The seal is applied across a dividing line where the package is opened such that the seal will rupture on opening the cigarette pack.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,828 B1 is directed to a tamper evident packaging for a wound dressing in which two packaging layers are sealed to each other at their perimeter for example by heat sealing, adhesive sealing, RF sealing, or ultrasonic sealing. The layers may be sheets of medical grade paper, plastic, foil or the like. Within the sealing region on the perimeter are provided perforations in one or both packaging layers such that when the package is opened the layer tears along the perforation, leaving a portion of the layers attached and thus providing evidence that the package has been fully or partly opened.
It is also known to provide a confectionery product with a completely sealed inner wrapper of foil or foil-like material. However, once such a package is opened, it is completely and unattractively torn. The inner wrapper cannot subsequently function as a “plate” for the product, nor can it be neatly and conveniently re-wrapped around the product. Such a package may provide evidence of tampering, but important functionality of the wrapper is lost.
Confectionery products are handled by a large number of people at the point of sale prior to being finally purchased and consumed. This raises a particular concern that these products are more likely to be subjected to tampering. Thus, it is particularly desirable and an object of the invention to provide evidence of tampering to packaging associated with confectionery, such as an inner die fold and sleeve type packaging.
None of the above described prior art describes a tamper evident die fold or tamper evident die-fold-and-sleeve packaging concept